10:15 p.m., Wednesday, October 1st, 1969

The Concorde had broken the sound barrier on her test flight, the USSR were performing nuclear tests at Semipalatinsk and Richard was tucking himself into bed when his father knocked on the bedroom door.

"Pack your bags, son. We're leaving tonight."

"What for?" Richard yawned.

"Everybody on Sodor is talking about him: the Duke of Sodor."

Richard got out of bed and asked in a puzzled, yet confused way.

"Is he a man or an engine?"

"Both. A man who you should address as 'Your Grace' and a lost engine who I met during the war. Did I ever tell you about Duke?"

By now, Richard was changing into his clothes.

"Some of him, but I didn't really pay attention."

Christopher frowned.

"Of course, you didn't. Grandfather and I will remind you on the train."

So as soon as their train left for Barrow, Christopher and Wilbert told Richard about Duke.

Duke was a little old engine who lived on the Mid-Sodor Railway with nine other engines, two of his favorites being Stuart and Falcon, who liked to tease Duke and call him "Granpuff", but at least they happy together until hard times came. World War II had nearly exhausted the resources of the mines in the hills and the line was headed towards it's final collapse, causing it to be closed down. For this, the other engines went away while Duke left alone in his shed. As he went to sleep, everything around him changed. Nature had reclaimed the abandoned yard and you would not have known that a shed was there, let alone a little engine asleep inside it.

But Duke's story had managed to spread, the engines told Mr. Hugh, Mr. Hugh told the Thin Controller, the Thin Controller told the Owner, the Owner told his Grace, his Grace told Mr. Fergus Duncan, the Small Controller, the Small Controller told the Thin Clergyman, and the Thin Clergyman told the fat one.

"Is the Thin Clergyman…you?" Richard asked his grandfather when he brought it up.

"Yes," Wilbert nodded. "And I'm sure you remember the fat one, he's my friend Teddy Boston."

"I've met him a couple of times," Richard replied. "But I don't see why he has to be involved."

"He should be involved," said Wilbert. "Because before you went to Sodor, he and I met the Arlesdale engines. They have a new one coming over named Sigrid, who is a diesel, and we took pictures of Bert before he paid us out for splashing him."

Richard gave a small chuckle at this before going back to sleep.

He woke up again when they arrived at Barrow where the Reverend Teddy Boston, and the illustrators Gunvor and Peter Edwards were waiting for them. After the usual greetings, they took Henry's train all the way to Tidmouth where they boarded Donald's train to Arlesburgh. Richard had his breakfast in the Small Controller's office, while the reverends and his father were looking over maps. The illustrators took pictures of the office.

"Our railway," explained the Small Controller, "is laid on the bed of the old one, but swings round to end at the road south of that village. The old line kept straight on, it went north of the village and then into the mountains. The maps show the works at the old station. If Duke is anywhere, he's there."

"Then that is where we are headed," announced Wilbert. "But first, we'll need some transportation."

They walked out to meet Mike, Rex and Bert standing outside their shed.

"Are you writing another book about us?" asked Mike hopefully.

"Yes," said Wilbert as his grandson waved at them. "But it isn't about you. It's about a nice old engine who is lost. But, if you're good, the artists might put you in the pictures."

"Oh, thank you, sir!" gasped Bert.

After explaining the story of Duke, Falcon and Stuart, the small engines sighed sympathetically.

"So you see, poor Duke was left alone and we want to find him, mend him, and make him happy again. Your controller wants to help, but he can't if you're naughty."

Wilbert's words made the three small engines promise to be as good as gold and very soon, they were all setting off t

The men and sole woman spent days at the old station. They came up every morning on Bert's train. He always whistled "good luck" as they walked up the track, but they had nothing in the evening except scratches and torn clothes.

The days grew hard, but the rescuers wouldn't give up. Even though there still no sign of Duke, he had to be there somewhere and last their search ended…by accident.

It was Teddy who found him in the end. Scrambling over a hillock he trod on something that wasn't there, crashed through a hole and landed legs astride on Duke's saddle tank.

"Our Sleeping Beauty himself!" he shouted.

The others heard the noise and ran over to him. But when they peered through the hole, Wilbert forgot about his friend's supposed injuries and saw the metaphorical holy grail.

"At last!" he cried to Christopher.

Christopher saw Duke. He looked almost the same since the last time he saw him: in perfect pristine condition (or at least that's how he looked to him at first). Yet he noticed Duke yawning before he looked up at his visitors.

"Excuse me," inquired Duke. "Are you a vandal? Driver told me vandals break and smash things."

Teddy ruefully felt his bruises.

"Bless you, no!" he laughed. "I'm quite respectable. I dropped in because I couldn't find your door."

Then, after he told Duke about Stuart and Falcon, Wilbert, Christopher and the Small Controller joined them.

"And I'm very sure they will be pleased to see you," chipped in Christopher once Teddy had finished.

Duke squinted his eyes. The man standing before him looked familiar. Then he remembered.

"Christopher, is that you?"

"The one and only."

He pulled his son into the arms.

"And this is my son, Richard."

"Hello," Richard waved. "I heard all about your story from my father and grandfather here and…I would love to see you up and about again."

"So they all remember me!" said Duke softly. "Does His Grace approve?"

"Yes," said Wilbert. "He's coming."

"To see me? How kind! And I'm all dirty! That will never do. Please clean me."

So they set to work, and by the time the Small Controller had fetched His Grace, Duke was the cleanest of anyone in the shed. It had proven to be a lot of hard work for Richard and Christopher, but it ignited some long-overdue experience for the both of them.

"Did you ever ride on Duke?" asked Richard to his father while they worked.

"Yes," Christopher replied. "I once went on a picnic with your mother aboard his special train back in '43. It was fittingly called the 'Picnic'. Isn't that right, Duke?"

"Yes," smiled Duke. "And I'll be taking many more when I am back in service again."

Early next morning, Mike brought workmen and tools. They enlarged Teddy's hole, lifted Duke out and put him on a low-loader to be taken to Arlesburgh by road.

"I'd be ashamed," Duke protested. "To travel by road. In my opinion, it is undignified."

"I'm sorry, Duke," said His Grace. "But the small railway has no suitable trucks that fit your gauge."

Duke gave in then, but so many people came out and greeted him, that he felt better.

"So they still remember me!" he thought happily.

Donald was waiting at Arlesburgh with a flat truck. Everyone cheered as the cranes loaded Duke onto it and still more when he started along the big railway on the last stage of his journey to his new home. Wilbert, Christopher and Richard came along for the ride in Donald's cab.

Peter Sam and Sir Handel were on early term, peeking out of the shed.

"He's there!" they whispered.

Duke opened his eyes.

"You woke me up! In my young days, engines were…"

"Seen and not heard, Granpuff. Remember?"

"I remember," said Duke. "Two idle good-for-nothings named Falcon and Stuart."

"Good for you, Granpuff! We're glad you've come. We can keep you in order now."

"Keep me in order? Impertinence! Be off!"

But Duke's old eyes twinkled and for the first time in years, he smiled happily as he dozed in the sun.